Taking All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) as an example, a typical ATV includes front wheels and rear wheels suspended on a front end and on a rear end, respectively, of a body frame. Handlebars and a seat are mounted on the frame. A power unit such as an engine is also mounted on the frame and generates the power required to propel the ATV. A transmission is provided to transfer the power generated by the engine to the front wheels, the rear wheels or both the front and rear wheels to drive the vehicle. Typically, the ATV operator selects the required gear ratio by actuating a gear selection lever extending outside the transmission, which is mechanically linked to the gear shifting mechanism inside the transmission. If for any reason the gears are locked together or difficult to engage or disengage, the force exerted by the ATV operator on the gear selection lever may be excessive and either damage internal components of the transmission or damage the gear selection lever itself.
Some switching gear devices have been designed in two parts with a spring connecting the first part to the second part thereby providing some buffer between the actuating force of the operator and the force applied to internal components of the transmission to effect gear changes. However, these switching gear devices protrude from the transmission and are exposed to the environment and may therefore be subject to relatively rapid deterioration.
Thus, there is a need for an improved gear selection mechanism ameliorating some of the difficulties with the prior art.